A planned month-long overtime strike by maintenance workers at Montreal's public transit authority has been pushed back by two days following a ruling from Quebec's labour tribunal. The union has now set December 11, 2025 as the new start date for the work action.
Labour Tribunal Halts Original Start Date
Quebec's Tribunal administratif du travail (TAT) issued a decision on Monday, December 2, blocking the strike that was scheduled to begin on December 9. The tribunal found a procedural issue: the notice period for a previous work action had not yet expired, making the new strike notice invalid for the intended start date.
In a six-page ruling, the TAT explained that the union had filed notice on November 28 for an overtime strike to run from December 9 to January 11. However, the schedule for a prior action—originally planned for November 1 to November 28—was technically still in effect. The tribunal stated the union needed to wait until at least November 29 to file a new notice, which it did not do.
Why the Overlap Forced a Delay
The TAT's ruling emphasized that allowing strike notices to overlap would enable a union to perpetually renew a strike period, which would undermine the legal requirement for a designated schedule. The fact that the union had suspended its previous walkout on November 11 did not change the official end date of the authorized strike period.
"If the union wishes to strike at a time other than that mentioned in its strike notice, or if it cancels or withdraws it, it must wait until the day after the date indicated in the previous notice," the ruling stated, clarifying the legal rationale for the delay.
New Timeline and Expected Impact
In response to the tribunal's decision, the union representing the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) maintenance workers promptly announced it would file a new notice for an overtime strike to begin on December 11. The strike is now set to last through the holiday season.
The STM has indicated that adapted transit services for individuals with reduced mobility will not be affected by this overtime strike. However, the work action could impact maintenance schedules and overtime operations for the broader transit network.
This development adds another chapter to ongoing labour discussions within Montreal's essential public transit system, with workers using overtime bans as a pressure tactic during negotiations.
